The judge indicts Zapatero's daughters and secretary

MadridThe day after José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero declared himself investigated, Judge José Luis Calama makes a move and takes a further step: he indicts his two daughters –Alba Rodríguez and Laura Rodríguez– and his secretary –Gertrudis Alcázar–. The magistrate did so after the PP requested it, as leader of the popular prosecutions, pointing to the crimes of criminal organization, influence peddling and money laundering. It was an initial request from Hazte Oír that the Anti-Corruption Prosecutor's Office subsequently endorsed. Why are they being investigated?

On the one hand, the two daughters are administrators of What The Fav, a communications company that, according to the magistrate, had an "instrumental role" in the "channeling, concealment or facilitation of relevant operations". The UDEF argued that it had a role of "operational coordination" and "channel for logistical and documentary support" of the alleged influence peddling scheme. On the other hand, the magistrate defined the former president's secretary as an "essential operational piece within the organized network" and the "central node of communication and documentary management" because she used the former Spanish president's email account. The judge, on the other hand, dismisses indicting former minister José Luis Ábalos and his former advisor Koldo García.

In the ruling, José Luis Calama argues that summoning Zapatero's daughters as investigated parties is "necessary" to "preserve" their fundamental rights and is "the only compatible way" with the right to effective judicial protection. Why? Given their intervention, summoning them as witnesses would generate a "risk," as the obligation to tell the truth could "irreversibly" compromise their right not to testify against themselves and not to confess guilt. "Any action that could place a person in a situation of forced self-incrimination must be avoided, especially when there is a reasonable possibility that their procedural status may evolve towards imputation," he justifies.

For the moment, the PP avoids touching the subject: "I will not shed blood over something that has to do with such a sacred matter as the personal environment. It will be heavy enough for Zapatero to have gotten his daughters into this mess," said the spokesperson for the Popular Party, Borja Sémper, minutes after the news broke. In the corridors of Congress, sources from the PSOE downplayed it: they say it was "predictable" and they refer again to the statement from the former Spanish president, which they say has been "well received" by the socialist bases.

A "redistribution center" for economic flows

In the ruling that authorized the search of the company's headquarters, the judge stated that What The Fav was an "artificial" structure that received funds from clients of the influence network and from the structure itself, organized in a kind of "circular fund circuit". He considers that it operated as a "redistribution center" for economic flows, "channeling payments" to Zapatero and his circle. How did it do it? It generated invoices ad hoc with a "generic concept" and "without any detail" with the sole objective of "providing formal coverage" to financial movements that did not have real economic activity: "It does not carry out ordinary business activity, but rather acts as an instrumental vehicle," he summarized.

To justify the imputation of Gertrudis Alcázar, the judge refers to the order that authorized the search of Zapatero's office where the

Zapatero's secretary was an "essential operational piece"

To justify the imputation of Gertrudis Alcázar, the judge refers to the order that authorized the search of Zapatero's office where the jewelry valued at 1.3 million euros was found. He explained that she was responsible for preparing the invoices, which were a "fictitious documentary support" to "justify the network's financial movements," which did not correspond to an "effective economic reality."

Thus, for example, she asked if she should issue one or several invoices for an amount of 20,000 euros and asked for indications regarding the concepts, which the judge believes shows a "prior agreement" and reveals "the absence of a real underlying service."

The judge refuses to request more information from the USA

Likewise, the judge closes the door to Zapatero's lawyer's request to ask for more information from the United States about the obtaining of the mobile messages of Rodolfo Reyes –who was a counselor of Plus Ultra representing the main shareholder– that an American agency provided and which are the key evidence against the former Spanish president. In the document, consulted by ARA, Víctor Moreno Catena expressed "reasonable doubts" about the "respect for the right to a fair trial" due to the "absence of complete data" on the obtaining, dumping, and custody of the device.

The former president's defense made a series of requests to verify if the conversations "truly meet the requirements of authenticity, integrity, and legality" so that they can be considered suitable within the framework of Spanish criminal law. However, the judge closes the door to this pending a response from the United States: until he receives it, he will not be able to make a "founded assessment" on the "necessity or appropriateness" of requesting more information.

Sánchez maintains contact with Zapatero: "I support José Luis"

Sánchez maintains his absolute support for Zapatero, who is accused of crimes of criminal organization, influence peddling, and money laundering. "I have conveyed encouragement and, of course, my confidence in his innocence," said the Spanish Prime Minister.

The PSOE leader assured that he has spoken with Zapatero "during all these days" and explained that he told him that he is innocent. "I, obviously, trust in this innocence and support José Luis," insisted Sánchez, who also assured that he "empathizes" with the "situation his family is experiencing." "He logically needs the support of the socialist family," pointed out the Spanish Prime Minister in statements to the media at the entrance to the European Union leaders' meeting this Thursday and Friday in Brussels.